Indians break open tie game with 6-run inning, beat White Sox 7-2

This season the Ukiah Babe Ruth League has turned out to be quite competitive. Going into the final two weeks of regular season play, six of the league's eight teams can still consider themselves as contenders for the league championship.

Prior to Monday night's two games, the records of the teams saw several bunched near the top of the standings. The Red Sox were 6-3-1, the Giants 6-4, the Indians 5-2-2, the White Sox 5-4-1, the Diamondbacks 4-4-2, the A's 4-5-1, the Rockies 2-7-1 and the Yankee's 2-6-2.

This week and next week there will be a full slate of games to finish off the regular season. The standings following the games played Saturday June 21 will determine the seedings for the League Playoffs to be held the following week.

First-round playoff games will start on June 23 with the No. 1 seed vs. the No. 8 seed at 6 p.m. at Anton Stadium. The second game that evening will pit the No. 2 seed vs. the No. 7 seed.

On Tuesday, the 24th, the No. 3 seed will play the No. 6 seed in the early game and the No. 4 seed will play No. 5 in the 8 p.m. game.

The second-round semi finals will be played on Thursday, June 24, involving the four survivors from the first-round games. The championship game will played at noon on Saturday.

But for now, there are regular season games to be played. On Monday, on a very warm early-evening, it was the Indians matched up against the White Sox in a 6 p.m. game. It w was a pitchers' battle for much of the game, with the score tied 1-1 after four innings of play. The Indians broke it open with a 6-run fifth and went on to win 7-2.

Right-hander Aaron Land started for the Sox. He walked two batters in the top of the first, but got some help from his defense.

With runners at first and second and one out, the Indians attempted a double steal. The lead runner was cut down on a throw from catcher Jacob Froneberger to third baseman Theo Ibarra who applied the take. A strikeout then retired the side.

The Sox went down in order in the bottom of the inning facing Indians starter right-hander Ty Hernandez.

Indians took a 1-0 in the top of the second when Hernandez beat out and infield hit with one out and center fielder Ben Adair followed with a double over the left fielders head to drive him in

But Land struck out the next two batters to limit the damage.

The Sox got a runner with two outs in the bottom of the inning on an infield error, but a 6-4 force retired the side.

Land again had command issues in the top of third, walking the bases loaded, but then stranding all three runners with some gritty pitching, getting a comebacker and a strikeout.

In the White Sox tied the game in the bottom of the inning.

An error and a hit batter put runners at the corner with one out. The Indians made a pitching change, bringing shortstop Karter Koch to the mound.

Koch got a strikeout for the second out. But Land followed with a single to left to tie the game 1-1.

That was the score going to the fourth where Land and Koch each pitched a scoreless inning. The Sox turned 6-3 double play to end the top of the inning. Koch retired the side in order on two ground balls and a strikeout.

Land was still on the mound in the top of the fifth. Kameron Rau led off with a single to left center. A wild pitch followed by a walk put runners at the corners.

The Sox made a pitching change, with Grant Corsey coming in from left to take the mound.

A steal from first put runners at second and third. Koch lined a pitch hard but right to the first baseman Logan McMillan for the first out, the runners holding.

Austin Bower broke the tie, looping a single down the left field line to drive in two runs.

A fly ball to left recorded the second out. Hernandez singled to center to put two on. Both runners advanced on a pitch in the dirt.

Ben Adair following with a hit into short left, off the glove of the charging left fielder. Two more runs scored. Shawn Nevill drew a walk to put two on.

An error on a grounder loaded the bases. A walk forced in the fifth run of the inning.

The Sox made another pitching change, with shortstop Preston Matossian taking over.

A wild pitch allowed the sixth run of the inning score, invoking the 6-run limit rule and the inning coming to an end with the Indians now leading 7-1.

The Sox got one of those runs back in the bottom of the inning. McMillan drew a lead-off walk. Victoria Vau lined a solid single to right to put two on.

The combination of a popup to short, a strikeout and a passed ball had runners at second and third with two outs.

McMillan then scored on a passed ball, beating the throw to the plate with a slide. The side was then retired on a strikeout and the Indians lead now 7-2.

In the top of the sixth the Indians got two-out hits by Bauer Delgado and Eric Pearce. But they were stranded on a grounder to short for the third out.

Rau took the mound in the bottom of inning, his third position of the game. With the time limit looming, this would be the Sox final at bats of the game.

Hunter Mannel got a one-out hit and Matossian a walk.

After a popup for the second out McMillan drew a walk to load the bases.

But the final out was recorded on a comebacker, the Indians winning by the final score of 7-2.